WEBVTT METRO THERE'S A HIGH SCHOOLSPECIFICALLY FOR KIDS CAUGHT UPIN THE STATE OF ADDICTION.>> GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I WASTAKING 60 OR 70 MILLIGRAMS OFOXY JUST TO GET UP IN THEMORNING.JESSICA: TY STARTED WITH ALCOHOLAND MARIJUANA, THEN MOVED ON TOOXYCODONE.>> YOU KNOW I HAD TO GET UPTHROUGH THE NIGHT AND TAKE PILLSBECAUSE I WOULD HAVEWITHDRAWALS.JESSICA: HE GREW UP IN ASELF-DESCRIBED GOOD HOME, ANDSTARTED USING IN HIGH SCHOOL.HE'S IN A NEW HIGH SCHOOL NOW.CLEAN, AND MONTHS FROMGRADUATION.>> KNEW I COULDN'T GO BACK TOTHE SCHOOL I WAS AT.MY PUBLIC SCHOOL.I WANTED TO STAY CLEAN.DIDN'T KNOW HOW, DIDN'T KNOW IFI COULD.>> HE CAME TO US ANGRY HE CAMETO US, ACTING OUT.JESSICA: A DIFFERENT PERSON JUSTLIKE THE OTHER STUDENTSSUFFERING FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSEWHEN THEY STARTED STUDIES ATMISSION ACADEMY, AN ACCREDITED,RECOVERY BASED HIGH SCHOOL INOKLAHOMA CITY.>> THEY REALLY THRIVE ANDTHEY'VE BUILT A FAMILY UNITBETWEEN THEM.>> WITHOUT A DOUBT WE SAVE LIVES.JESSICA: LEAD TEACHER DOUG MCPHERON.>> IT IS REALLY IT'S MORE, DESTRUCTORS THE PEOPLEREALIZE.JESSICA: AT MISSION ACADEMYSTUDENTS HAVE CLASSROOMINSTRUCTION, ONLINE COURSES, LABWORK, ART CLASSES AFTER SCHOOLPROGRAMS.AND WEEKLY DRUG TESTING.FOR TY, THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTHERE, HAS BEEN A GAME-CHANGER.>> IT'S THE BEST FRIENDSHIPSTHAT I'LL HAVE FOR THE REST OFMY LIFE.THEY'RE ACTUALLY INTERESTED INWHAT I'M DOING AND IT GIVES ME A

An Oklahoma City teenager needed help battling his addictions, and he knew he needed a change of scenery to do so.

"I got to the point where I was taking 60 or 70 milligrams of oxy just to get up in the morning," said Ty, who didn't want to give his full name.

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He started with alcohol and marijuana then moved on to oxycodone.

"You know, I had to get up through the night and take pills because of withdrawals," Ty said.

Ty grew up in what he describes as a good home and started using in high school. He's now attends a new school, Mission Academy High School, and says he is his is clean and is months from graduation.

"I knew I couldn't go back to the school I was at, my public school," he said. "I wanted to stay clean. (I) didn't know how. Didn't know if I could."

The school's academic director, Ginger Allison, said Ty is a different person than he was when he walked onto campus.

"He came to us angry. He came to us acting out," she said.

Mission Academy High School is an accredited recovery-base high school in Oklahoma City.

"(Students) really thrive, and they've built a family unit between them," Allison said.

Students at Mission Academy High School have classroom instruction, online courses, lab work, art classes and after-school programs. They also undergo weekly drug testing.

"Without a doubt, we save lives," lead teacher Doug McPheron said. "The disease of addiction and what it does to families ... it's more destructive than people realize."

For Ty, the community of support has been the game changer.

"It's the best friendships that I'll have for the rest of my life," he said. They're actually interested in what I'm doing, and it gives me a chance to help other people, too, which is what keeps me happy, gives me peace."